What you don't know about the slotted headstock.

I've always had a fascination with slotted headstocks. It could be that because my first guitar was a slotted headstock, or that most of my guitar heroes all played them. While they are a thing of beauty, they aren't exactly user-friendly on the first re-strings. Join me as a take of my old strings, tell you a little about the history of the slotted headstock guitars, and offer up a couple tips on how to re-string these!
If you're here just for the restring part, skip to around the 4:30 mark!
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[@Bowie.]

After buying my first slot-head, I fell in love w/ the elegance, and now almost all my acoustics are slot-head.

[@HectorSGCG]

It's impossible to me to not think this way: Slotted headstock: 🤓 Paddle headstock: 😎

[@ukestudio3002]

Great series of videos . Good details, common sense, good pacing. I’ve done a ton of reading on woods, sound physics, strings etc..(to pick out my dream guitars). ..but l’m learning stuff here. Thanks .! 👍🏽

[@kostringworks]

Hey I appreciate it! Anytime I can help someone on their way to a dream guitar I consider to be a great triumph! See ya in the comments!

[@thelittlemoontravelers]

lol I have same odd obsession with slotted headstocks. Something about the aesthetic. Great video

[@kostringworks]

Haha, I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for saying hey!

[@KelleySmithMusic]

ooh nifty! Kyle, these videos are so fresh. thanks for taking good care of my guitar!

[@kostringworks]

Dude I meant to tell you this was the vid your guitar makes a cameo in! Glad you found it anyway. I think it makes the whole vid. K&K working out?

[@KelleySmithMusic]

@@kostringworks yah Bonnie feels really famous! actually the last set I did was acoustic, in a wilderness cabin in Iowa. So I will let you know! The guitar feels lighter which is so nice.

[@syntaxlost9239]

Paddle headstocks are the OG back when guitars used friction pegs and machine heads were incredibly expensive to produce. They're still popular on flamenco guitars to preserve the original "flamenco" aesthetic either with friction pegs or mechanical tuners with orbital gears to look like friction pegs.

[@kostringworks]

Oooh really good insight. Forgot to mention the friction peg tradition. The baroque guitar too, paddle style. Thanks!!

[@Intrinsic.Recording]

Hey, great video! Thanks. Stop putting tools on your bridge to pull your pins though. Reach your hand INSIDE the body, push the pin up! If it hurts to push up on it, put a glove on, or push with a square of cardboard. I'm not picking on you, I see a thousand videos with people putting all kinds of "tools" that can scratch the bridge. Crazy. Makes no sense if you're cutting the strings anyway... Just a tip from an old guitar guy.

[@kostringworks]

😂 I hear ya. The reason I like that tool though is cause the sides are round and there’s very little chance they could damage the saddle or bridge. But I appreciate you looking out and for watching old guitar guy!

[@Intrinsic.Recording]

I've left that same comment on like 5 people's channels with vids touting their own special tool to get the bridge pins out. I'm always scratchin' my head going wt*. I used to use all manner of stuff myself, until an OLDER gtr guy said "Man...what are you doing?!" Anyways, great video, thanks! @@kostringworks

[@wooggeek]

Thank you, i have one slotted, a 12 ovation pacemaker. (i know/ i know). :) I certainly dread changing strings on that. But if I change one string at a time I have the prior as a guide to know approximately where the string winding should end up to avoid snagging the wood slots. I suppose I could make a small mark with a sharpie on the tuning post. Either way it's a lot to take on compared to a telecaster ;). I appreciate your videos and talents!

[@kostringworks]

Thanks for watching! Regarding how far to wind: it’s a matter of opinion, but if you give yourself enough slack to get two or three winds, the break angle on these headstocks does a lot of the work for you as far as getting good downward pressure (which is the main reason for three wraps being optimal). Does that help? Two to three in the big strings, 4 to 5 on the little ones. As far as where it should end up on the post, it should take care of itself. I’d just pay attention to whether you should wrap to the in or outside of the box.

[@user-dj1gl5ix3m]

@@kostringworks Mr Kyle, what gauge set of strings do you recommend for these type of "000" guitars?

[@kostringworks]

@@user-dj1gl5ix3m it depends on a lot of things, but 12’s are always a safe bet! I kinda consider them mediums (even tho most string companies call them light).

[@basilbcf]

My 50 year old Martin D12-35 is a slotted headstock.

[@kostringworks]

What a beauty of a guitar!!

[@donaldpoole2995]

Kyle, I had a standard peg head guitar made by a friend. Is it possible to turn that head into a slot head? Or will the break angle screw up the sound?

[@kostringworks]

It might be possible?! But most people would probably cut it off at the scarf joint and make a new one headstock.

[@IdolMako]

so the same but rotated...interesting

[@kostringworks]

Yep! Mirror image no matter how you string it.

[@Ziraffe2]

The slotted headstock is for the intellectuals the solid headstock is much more sexy

[@kostringworks]

What will sexy intellectuals play?! 😆

[@Ziraffe2]

Probably cello !

[@kostringworks]

bingo!@@Ziraffe2

[@John-wr6yo]

On the smaller strings i go through the hole once ,go up and around the barrel and through the hole again and pull the tail tight and whind up to pitch.

[@kostringworks]

Woooah, never heard of that one. Crazy, I'll have to give it a whirl! Thanks!